Pleiades Dances by Claudia Schreier | Atlanta Ballet

Claudia Schreier is a choreographer in residence at the Atlanta Ballet. She is a Black woman who has been invited to create many works with world renowned dancers and companies, which is perhaps the most obvious reason why I am drawn to her work.

I heard her name here and there for years, but I only recently became familiar with her work. The first thing I noticed was the way she tends to show off the line of the dancer’s form and technique in a very light clean way, which is without a doubt my favourite aesthetic and in general, my definition of beauty. I think this sort of neo-classism is the epitome of contemporary ballet made for the 21st century.

This is a short excerpt of her piece Pleiades Dances.

Dancing At Dusk — A Moment With Pina Bausch’s The Rite Of Spring

This piece is particularly significant. It was a brilliant idea for the Pina Bausch Foundation and their co-producers to use an all-African cast, and the natural setting of using the west African beach in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal. It makes the setting more appropriate for the piece, as typically it’s performed with the stage covered with special earth.

I performed this piece years ago with English National Ballet, however seeing this particular film and cast opened my mind to the deeper level of purity, spirituality and significance that can be achieved within this particular work when choosing and basing a cast on something like origins. While in some ways I don’t fundamentally agree with type casting, this is an example where it’s hard to ignore the impact that this piece has because of the type casting. It has sort of shaken my belief system to its core. I relate to the dancers in some way or another.

I guess that’s the point of art and to me, that’s a sign of really compelling art that can create a big impact. I love to see people who look like me thrive and have opportunities, and this work is a beautiful protoplasm of dance.

Octavia Butler – Parable of The Sower Folk Opera and OCTAVIA

Octavia is a literary icon and award-winning novelist whose work has become incredibly significant. Her works, which are actually gendered as science fiction novels but are used in over 200 universities around the world, are often included in postgraduate and PHD level study and examination of critical race theory.

She was far ahead of her time, and her dystopian sci-fi novels delve deep into some of the themes of Black injustice, global warming, women’s rights and political disparity and, the social and political issues of our time in a way that is so imaginative and creative. Her works have inspired the creation of a folk opera based on the book Parable of the Sower, with music and arrangement by Toshi Reagan.

Additionally, a modern dance piece, OCTAVIA, was choreographed by Staycee Pearl, a prominent multimedia artist based in Pittsburgh. Staycee Pearl is doing great work in her community and the fact that she was so bold in bringing to life the important literature of Butler, is worthy of praise and should be highlighted.

Cira Robinson – Dancer with Ballet Black

I had the pleasure of seeing Cira perform, as well as speak in a very insightful, honest and intelligent Q&A session after a Ballet Black performance in March. She took my breath away and really lifted up the evening. I think she is one of the most underestimated dancers of colour on the London stage.

I really love her work, stage presence and the overall quality and integrity of her work. She is the epitome of an excellent Black ballerina and it was beyond inspiring to see her live again, as well as the full house at the Barbican, with little brown girls and their mothers in tutus watching the show. It was so beautiful.

This live stream from the Royal Opera House shows choreographer Mthuthuzeli November leading a rehearsal of his piece, Ignoma, with Ballet Black dancers, including Cira. It shows the power, potential and significance that open genre ballet can bring to the masses.

Malanda Jean Claude – Creative Director And Poet

 

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Malanda’s works deeply softened and melted my perspective of myself and the way I relate to others somehow. His use of visual and audio art forms, combined with his words, create something so simple yet very satisfying and provoking to listen to. I must have watched this little clip on repeat 100 times. It sort of lights up that part of your brain that believes in magic and white knights on horses.

It was this video that I first found before discovering his book, Because of a Woman. I realise that some creatives have moved their work away from saturated and commercial spaces like Instagram, partly to protect the value of their creations. However, I think he is someone to watch and can only hope that he is inspired to produce more!

Through his use of language, and aesthetic choices, he has created a romanticism around the idea of relating to yourself, well, because that will project out to others. It’s part of the whole self-love and healing movement.